Rhododendron Mosers Maroon

The Rhododendron 'Moser's Maroon' is an absolutely stunning old hybrid. With its large, glossy flowers of intense garnet-red, with a black blotch and a cluster of whitish stamens, it is perfect for bringing the garden to life in spring. This foliage of this variety is particularly distinctive due to the carmine-red colour of its spring shoots, which later turn a lustrous dark green. Its evergreen foliage, with its changing colours extends the season of interest for this beautiful shrub. With its dense, upright habit, it will look great in an ericaceous bed or a large container, in partial shade or even in full sun!

Rhododendrons are plants of the Ericaceae family, just like heathers, preferring predominantly chalk-free and slightly acidic soils, as well as damp climates. 'Moser's Maroon' was introduced in the early 20th century. In 1932, it received the prestigious RHS Award of Garden Merit for its ornamental qualities and performance in the garden. It naturally forms a dense bush with a distinctly upright habit, reaching about 2m (6.56 ft) in height and 1.50m (4.92 ft) in spread. It is fairly slow growing. Its dark green, evergreen leaves, which change colour, have a slightly satin finish and are elliptical in shape, covering the plant well. They have a very downy underside. The young leaves are a beautiful carmine-red to purple. In May-June, its remarkably abundant flowering overwhelms the bush: beautiful and large bell-like flowers bloom in voluminous corymbs. Their intense garnet-red colour, mottled with dark purple, is enhanced by the glossy texture of the petals and the white tips of the stamens, like little jewels clustered at the heart of the flower.

The Rhododendron 'Moser's Maroon' is a lustrous shrub, hardy down to -15°C (5 °F) or even -20°C (-4 °F) and easy to grow as long as the conditions suit it in terms of soil and climate. Although they prefer partial shade, large-flowered hybrid Rhododendrons can tolerate the sun as long as it is not too intense and their base remains cool and moist. 'Moser's Maroon', with its prolific, dazzling flowers, will dress up any small partially-shaded area of the garden, terrace, or balcony. Plant it together with ferns, blue or variegated hostas, Pieris, heathers, Kalmias, Azaleas, and Japanese Maples, or other rhododendrons from the same group to create superb patchworks of textures and colours in spring. Growing it in a container requires regular watering with non-alkaline water and specific fertilizer for ericaceous plants.